Teletypewriter line feed transmitting and counting apparatus



March 16, 1954 w. Y. LANG TELETYPEWRITER LINE FEED TRANSMITTING AND COUNTING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 4, 1950 REP.

SEND/N6 TTV AT CENTRAL OFFICE TELEPHONE COMPANY RECEIVING 77') AT HOTEL FIG. 2

INI/ENTOR W K LANG PNEV March 16, 1954 w N 2,672,508

TELETYPEWRITER LINE FEED TRANSMITTING AND COUNTING APPARATUS Flled Oct. 4, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 SENDING TTY MAIN OFF/CE RECEIVING TTY OUTLY/NG STAT/ON INVENTOR W K LANG AT RNEV Patented Mar. 16, 1954 TEIJETYPEWRITER LINE FEED .TRALNSMIT TING AND 'C'OUNTING APPARATUS Wilmarth Y...Lang, T owaco, M1,, assignor .to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, .N'. 'Y., acorporation-ofNew York Applicationctoher-4, 1950,=Serial No. 188,292

7 I4 Claims. I

Thismvention relates to printing telegraph systems and more particularlyto pagetypeprintersequipped with sprocket feed mechanisms for feeding through the printers form stationery, sheet stationery, superfolded stationery, roll stationery. and the like.

An object of the invention is to automatically advance stationery through a page printer a predetermined number of linespaces in response to a certain. signal.

Another object is toprovidea mechanism .;tor the automatic feed-out of stationery forms or sheets at .teletypewriters located vat both ends of a :teletypewriter circuit or at .a teletypewriter located at the receiving end only, .as desired, which mechanism requires modification ofv .the sending teletypewriter only.

Heretofore after the material. was typed on a sheet the line feed key was operated repeatedly in order to feed the next sheet to the proper typing position. The number of'lline feed signals transmitted must be correct in order totype at-the proper point on the next sheet. This requires close attention on the part .of the attendant and if the sheet is advanced too far, manually turning back the printer platen at each station is required, if the sheet is not to be wasted.

According to the presentinvention aform feeding-out mechanism is provided for use with the page type sending and receiving teletypewriter. ihe form feeding-out mechanism automatically feeds the form out of the printer and feeds in the next form until the desired line on the next form is in the proper recording position. The

number of line spaces through which, the form is advanced is determined .by'means of rotary selector switches, the switches being arranged to advance individual steps corresponding in number to the lines of material recorded on the form, and then in response to a special signal, toautomatically advance to predetermined corresponding. contacts on their respective banks whereby a circuit is closed for lighting a lamp indicating that a resetkey should be momentarily operated'to restore the switches to normal.

A feature of the invention is the. provision of means for automatically feedingoutof a printer in response to a single signal combination a sheet .of' stationery and advancing the: next sheet to the recording, .or typing, position.

Another feature-is the provision of ,means for automatically operating in response to the. single operation .of a teletypevvriter key the mechanism.

of the rotary selector switches from any operated' position to a predetermined position, and

other means for restoring the operating mechanism when in its predetermined position tolnormal.

Another feature is the provision-of means operative in response to the operation of a teletypewriter key for causing stepping switch brushes to step continuously over .the contacts of their respective banks to corresponding arbitrarily selected contacts on such banks whereby a. circuit is closed to light a lamp in a printing telegraph system to indicate when .it is required to momentarily operate a reset key for restoring the stepping switches and their associated .apparatus to normal.

Another feature is the provision of means for automatically feeding out in a continuous manher .the form stationery in a teletypewriter at a receiving station in response itoasignal transmitted from asending teletypewriter without advancing correspondingly the paper at the send-.- ing teletypewriter.

. Another feature is the provision of means operable in response to the depression of the feedout key for (I). performing the function of the linefeed key; (2) maintaining the printer selector magnet at the sending te'letypewriter operatedlduring the time that. the form stationery is automatically being advanced out of and the next ,form advanced into the proper recording point in the typing unit of the teletypewriter at,

a-receivingstationrand (3.) for causing the clutch throw-out lever to be disengaged from the driven member of a grab clutch on the transmisison cam shaft whereby continuous rotation of the cam assembly on such shaft is had.

Another feature is the provision of a rotary selector switch of the step-by-step type which operates one step in response to each operation of the line feed key until predetermined contacts, corresponding to the last line-of a message being recorded on form stationery :at the receivingpteletypewriter, are engaged by their respectively associated stepping brusheaand continuously in response to the single operation of the paper :feed-out .key until the stepping. brushesv respectively engage contactscorresponding .to the first recording linewon the form sta-- tionery -following that on which the message is being recorded.

Another feature is the provision of two rotary selector switches -of the. step-.by-step type, one .of whichrrotates-each of its brushes one step in response to each line feed signal transmitted to digits in the number of lines in the message that is being recorded and the other of which rotates each of its brushes one step in response to each group of ten line feed signals transmitted to the line circuit to count off the number of tens digits in the number of lines in the message. The two switches cooperate with means for advancing one form stationery out of and the: next form into the recording position on a receiving teletypewriter in either a step-by-step or a continuous manner in response to the operation of one or the other of two keys of the keyboard of a sending teletypewriter.

Other objects and features will be obvious from the following description and drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 shows the schematic circuit arrangement of an intercommunicating telegraph system wherein a sending page teletypewriter is equipped for automatically feeding short stationery forms out of a receiving teletypewriter. ment is identified herein as the short form device;

Fig. 2 shows a fragmentary view of the keyboard of the special sending page teletypewriter, the line feed and the paper feed-out keys only being shown. These keys are shown with respect to. the code selector bars. With the paper feedout key is shown the means for withdrawing the clutch throw-out lever from the transmitting cam clutch to cause continuous rotation of the transmitting cams, not shown but fixedly mounted on the transmitting cam shaft, during the time the feed-out key is held depressed; and

Fig. 3 shows the schematic circuit arrangement of an intercommunicating telegraph system wherein the page teletypewriter at a receiving station automatically feeds out long stationery sheets, say up to eighteen inches in length, in response to the single operation of the paper feedout key at the sending teletypewriter keyboard. The arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is identified as the long form device.

The page teletypewriter to which the present invention may be applied is of the type disclosed in United States Patent 1,904,164 granted to S. Morton et al. on April 18, 1933, and the means for withdrawing the throw-out lever from the transmitting cam clutch in response to the operation of the feed-out key is similar to the means provided for responding to the operation of the tabulator key shown in Fig. 4 of United States Patent 2,220,364 granted to C. W. Burcky on November 5, 1940. The disclosures of both of these patents are hereby made a part of the present specification as if fully set forth herein.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is particularly adapted for use in connection with page teletypewriters installed in a telephone central office to furnish telephone call billing service tohotels usually located in the area of the central office. It provides a simple form feed-out device for recording telephone calls and charges therefor on short forms at receiving teletypewriters located in the offices of the hotels or other such premises of subscribers. Short forms according to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 provide for a maximum of nine lines of information.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 3, also adapted for use in connection with page teletypewriters, provides means for feeding out long stationery sheets or forms having lengths up to and including eighteen inches or one-hundred and eight line feed spaces where the recording is on a basis of six lines for each inch. The operating circuit is somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. 1 ex- The arrange- I cept that it includes two instead of one rotary selector switch of the step-by-step type. One switch counts the units digits and the other counts the tens digits of the number of line spaces required to advance the paper out of and the next sheet into its proper recording position in the teletypewriter at the receiving station.

Arrangement shown in Fig. 1

In Fig. 1 a line circuit L including a repeater as: is shown extending from a teletypewriter located at a central office in a telephone system to a teletypewriter located at a subscriber station such as a hotel which receives its telephone service from such central oifice and supplies such service to its patrons through its switchboard. The teletypewriter shown in the central office is referred to herein as the sending machine and that at the hotel, as the receiving machine, although the latter machine may also be arranged for both sending and receiving. The equipment shown at both ends of the line circuit corresponds, in part, to that of the schematic circuits respectively shown in Figs. 29 and 30 of S. Morton et al. Patent 1,904,164, supra, the automatic tape transmitters being omitted in the schematic circuits used herein. The schematic circuit of the sending machine comprises keyboard transmitting cam contacts I82, line relay I03 for controlling the operation of the printer selector magnet 1M, and contacts I05 and I06 which respectfully correspond to contacts MB and All of the send-receive-break" mechanism described in S. Morton et al. Patent 1,904,164. Contact 105 is .1 located in the line circuit and is used as a break contact. Contact 100, when closed, serves as a shunt around transmitting cam contacts I02 thereby rendering the transmitting cam contacts inoperative when the sending machine is in its receive condition.

Arrangement shown in Fig. 2

In Fig. 2 two keys of the teletypewriter keyboard are shown, key 201 representing that used for sending line feed signals and key 202 usually identified as the blank key for sending blank signal code combinations but used herein for transmitting paper feed-out signals. Key levers 203 and 205 to which keys 202 and 202 are respectfully attached are shown in engageable relation with five code selector bars 205 to 209, inclusive. The code selector bars are provided along their upper edges with saw-tooth shaped notches arranged according to the requirements of the signaling code. These bars rest on rollers (not shown) and are guided at each end so that they may be easily moved lengthwise. When a key is depressed, a key lever strikes the slanting sides of these notches on certain of the code bars 205 to 200 moving one or more of these bars either to the left or to the right depending upon whether the corresponding pulses of the signal code combination are marking or spacing, as described in United States Patent Re. 20,330 granted to S. Morton on April 13, 1947. In response tn the operation of the line feed key 22", key lever 203 causes code selector bars 205, 201, 208 and 200 to be moved in a lengthwise direction toward the right, if they are not already so positioned, and code selector bar 206 to be moved in a lengthwise direction toward the left if it is not already so positioned. In response to the operation of feed-out key 202, key lever 204 would ordinarily cau e all the code selector bars to be moved lengthwise in a right-hand direction if acts-see they are not alread'y'so positioned; However, it will be noted that the underside of the-key lever 28.4 is slotted directly above the code selector bar 205 which permits code selector bar 2533 to be movedtoward the left when linefeed key 29,! is operated and remain in such positio-n without any interference from key lever 2.04, especially, hould feed-out key 2 33 be the. next to be oper tted. Line feed key' 291 when operated, actur ates key leverfiut independently of key lever 294 but when feedsout key ,Z'QZis-operated it actuates not only key lever 204, but also key lever 2S3 beoausearm 2J8 whichis afiixed to keylever 284 overlaps key lever ,203.

operation of arrangementshown ih,Fio. 1

Referring to Fig. I carn'pul'singcontact It! is controlled by cam I Itwhich'is one otthetransmitting cams cneamsleeve I II on the tra-nsmitting cam shaft CS,-and is arranged to close when the transmitting cam shaft begins to rotate through one revolution to-trans'mit each signal. Contact It is normally open, as shown, but assoonascam shaft CS begins to rotate it closes as the cam follower drops into a cam indent and remains closed until the cam lifts the follower ut=of the indent at which time contact It? again opens *to await the transmission of the next signal; :Conta-cts I58 and His also are normally openandare closed onlywhen key levers 293 and 204', respectively, are depressedby the operation of the-keys zil l and 292-. For the short form stationery arrangement, one rotary selector switch is provided comprising contact banks A and B. Each hank; is equipped with ten contacts arranged in a path for engagement by its respec tive rotatable brush.

It isassumed herein that a--formof a supply roll or a stack of superfolded short form stationery is in its proper positionon the platen of the hotel teletypewriter, that is, at-thepoint for the first line of-recordingpbut-it isnotknown at the central office whatpart-of the cycle the operating'mechanism of the rotary selector switch has'lbeen left. The operator at the central o'ifice first-operates thesend-receive break key (Fig; 2

oils. -Morton 'et a1. Patent 1,904,164? to the received position to close contact I05 whereby no signals can'be transmitted to the receiving machineof the hotel and then operates and holds Key 202 operated the form feed-out key 2'92. uponlbeing operated depresseskey leverd and arm z'lafixed to lever flfltdepresse's line feed'key lever 283. Key lever 213 upon being'depressed, closes contacts IE9 to close a shunt path around the armature and marking, or upper, contact of printer selector magnet to l cannot respond to transmitted signals, although none at this time can be transmitted tothe'line circuit because closed-contact I06 establishes a shunt path around transmitting cam contacts- I232. It is well to note-at this time that the sending machine-receives 'line feed signals for advancing its stationery during message transmission only when its send-receive break key is inasending position, but when:feed-out'key7282 is operated and printer selector magnet IM' -.is maintained operatedthe stationery is not :ade'

vanced. However, when the send-receive break key is in its receive position, the stationery in neither the sending nor the receiving machine can be advanced. In this way the sending machine at the .central ,office is, prevented or restrained from advancing its stationery. During the time when key -lever 291% is maintained I04 so that magnet maintained until the off-normal contact 121 is.

2+3 to cause rod 2I5 to move lengthwise to ward the left. Rod 215 has a horizontally tending reverse r'n irtio'n' 2P8 which is normally alignment and engageable relation the downwardly extending portion 'ofT-sl 1a'ped member 215 -and-when rod 215 is moved toward the left it rotates member 2 H in a clockwise direction around pivotal screw 2'I8. The rotation of member Z 'II causes clutch throw out memberfl 'ts affixed to pivotal rod 220 to rotate out of engagement with the driven clutch member 122i of transmitting cam shaft CS: The driven-clutch member 22! is then-permitte'd-to engage driving clutch member 222 under the til fluence ofthe compression {present in coil spring 223-. Driving clutch 222 is fixed to Shaft 25 which in turn isdr-iven through a pinion and'geai the switch brushes on contact banks A and-13' one step. Magnet I ls operates at relativelyhigh speed because of the condenser in'the condenser-- resistance network 2I3. At the end of the indent on cam itilqcontact l0? opens to release stepping magnet It a but inasmuch as the trans mitting cam shatt-Cs continues to rotate, corrtact It? is again closed to reoperat'e magnet M4 to step each of the switch'brushesa second step.

This operation isrepeated-ina continuous man ner until the brushes reach predetermined con tacts on their respective banks A and B1 The brush of bank 3 upon reaching the predetermined contactof that bank, closes a cir'cuit traceable from positive battery H 5; resistor I13,

lamp I I I, conductor H 8, the predetermined con;- tact, say contact No. thrush I28, to groondand" Brush 1 31 of'b'ank A-upon-step"-- lam-p Ii! lights. ping "to its contact No. '7; closes a shunt path around transmitting cam contacts I62 "for pre venting transmission of signals tothe hotelmachine. Lamp H1 upon lighting; furnishesindication torestore the rotary'switch to normal and the operator accordingly operates reset key i2 2. Reset key I22 upon being operated, closes a circuit extending from grounded positive -bate relay I24, conductor I125, reset "key' I212 in closed: condition, conductor I 8, contactN 011 7 andjbrush 228 of bankB, to ground. Relay I24 operates and then locks at its right hand armature and contactin. a circuit traceable over conductor. ,jI 2B}.

off-normal contact I 27 "(now closed): of the ro'tary selector switch bank B, to ground; .Rela'y J2?! uponoperating, closes at its l eft- -hand armature;

and contact an obvious operating circuit for ,release magnet I29 which operates ,to'restore the brushes I29 and I 3I to their respective horinal positions. Theflockednconditionof relay I24- restored to its normally open condition and in this way assures complete restoration to normal of brushes I20 and 31. The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 is now set in condition to furnish billing service on a telephone call by operating the sendreceive-break key (not shown) to its send position. The central office machine is now ready for operation inasmuch as it was hereinbefore assumed that the form at the hotel receiving machine was in its proper position for the first line of typing. It is important that the platen of the receiving machine at the hotel is not disturbed except to correct the positioning of the copy or form in case of trouble.

The central office apparatus is now assumed to be in its desired sending condition. The operator types the pertinent matter to be transmitted to the hotel machine (one or more lines) in the usual manner. At the end of each line of information, a line feed signal is transmitted and the line feed function levers at both the central office and hotel machines are operated to cause each of the platens of such teletypewriters to rotate one step as described under the caption Line Feed in the specification of S. Morton et al. 1,904,164. It is assumed that the information simultaneously recorded on the copy at the central ofiice machine and transmitted over the line circuit for recordation on the form stationery at the hotel machine requires three lines. After each line of information, the operation of the line feed key 2E1 depresses key lever 2533 to close contact I08 and operates the universal bar to start the transmitting cam shaft CS rotating through one revolution whereby contact I81 on cam H3 is also closed to complete a circuit for operating stepping magnet H4 as hereinbefore traced. Accordingly, stepping magnet H4 is operated each time the line feed key is operated. The magnet is released when contact 58'! opens at the end of the cam indent. Therefore. for each operation of the line feed key the brushes on banks A and B advance one step.

When the required number of line feed signals have been transmitted, which is assumed herein to be three, and it is desired to feed out the form stationery at the hotel machine to the starting pointof the succeeding form, feed-out key 282 is operated, and held operated thereby depressing key lever 205 to close contact I09. Key lever 2B4 upon being depressed, rotates arms 2 and 212 which, upon rotating, causes clutch throw-out member 2 l 9 to be withdrawn from driven clutch member 22! as hereinbefore described and the transmitting cam shaft CS is permitted to rotate continuously until the end of a revolution immediately following the release of feed-out key 202. The sustained closure of feed-out contact I09 short-circuits the armature and marking, or upper, contact of line relay H33, thereby holding the printer selector magnet (84 in its marking condition, so that the succession of line feed signals transmitted as a result of the operation of feed-out lever 294 does not cause corresponding advancement of the paper in the central onice teletypewriter. The reason for this is that there is no occasion to allocate each item of telephone call charging or billing data to a separate form in the central office, as there is in the subscribers office, the hotel, because these forms are used in the billing of the patrons of the hotel, who have been the recipients of the telephone service. The reset key is then depressed and the circuit again made operative; the operation of the reset key restoring brushes I 20 and HI to their normal positions.

Arrangement shown in Fig. 3

Referring to Fig. 3, the schematic circuit arrangement provides for feeding-out, from a page machine at the receiving end of a line circuit, of stationery in forms up to eighteen inches in length by the operation of either the line feed key to effect the feed-out in individual steps or the feed-out key to effect the feed-out in a continuous manner automatically. The keyboard arrangement shown in Fig. 2 is adapted for use with Fig. 3 in the same manner as hereinbefore described except as set forth below. Line circuit L includes repeater Sill and extends from a tele typewriter located at a main ofiice in an intercommunicating system to a teletypewriter located at an outlying station. The teletypewriter at the main office is referred to herein as the sending machine and that at the outlying station as the receiving machine although both machines may be arranged for both sending and receiving. These equipments shown at both ends of line circuit L, like those shown at both ends of line circuit L in Fig. 1, correspond, in part, to those in the station circuits respectively shown in Figs. 29 and 30 of S. Morton et al. Patent 1,906,164, supra. The station circuit at the sending machine comprises transmitting cam contacts 302, line relay 3% for controlling the operation of the printer selector magnet 334 and contacts 355 and. 3% which respectively correspond to contacts 416 and it? of the send-receive-break mechanism described in S. Morton et al. Patent 1,906,164. Contact 3&5 is located in line circuit L and serves as a break contact. Contact 306, when closed, serves as a shunt around transmitting cam contacts 332 which are thereby rendered inoperative as will be hereinafter described.

Cam pulsing contact 39? is controlled by cam 318, one of the transmitting cams fixedly mounted on cam sleeve 3 which is fixedly mounted on the free end of transmitting cam shaft CS of the sending machine and this contact is arranged to close when the transmitting cam shaft begins to rotate through a. revolution in response to the transmission of each signal from the sending machine as hereinbefore described in connection with the circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 1. Contact 30'! is normally open as shown, but as soon as the transmitting cam shaft C'S' begins to rotate it closes and remains closed until the end of the cam indent. Contacts 368 and 399 also are normally open and are closed only when key levers 203 and 284, respectively, are depressed by the operation of their respective keys 2M and For the long form or sheet stationery, two rotary selector switches S-3 and S-4 are provided, switch 8-3 comprising contact banks I A and IB and switch 8-4 comprising banks 2A and 2B. The contacts of each bank are arranged in a path to be engaged by a rotatably stepping brush. The contacts of banks l A and 1B represent the units digit and the contacts of banks 2A and 23 represent the tens digit of the number of lines in a message. The wiring shown to the No. 8 contacts in each bank indicates that the circuit arrangement shown herein provides for transmitting messages having eighty-eight lines of copy although the selector switch contact banks may provide for as many as one hundred and 9 their-stepping operations :and that the "sheet of :stationery at the receiving machine has been advanced out of themachine and the next sheet has been advanced to its proper recording position. The use of contact 309 is optional and when used the transmission of the feed-out signal to the line circuit does not cause the paper at the sending machine to be advanced inasmuch as printer selector magnet 304 may be maintained operated.

Operation of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3

It is assumed herein that a sheet of stationery of a superfold stack or roll-supply'of forms at the outlying station is in proper recording position but it is not known at the main office what part of the cycle the operating mechanism of the main oifice apparatus has been left. In order to restore the apparatus at the main ofiice to itsnormal position before transmitting the message to the teletypewriter at the outlyin station, the operator-at the main olfice first operates the sendreceive-break key to its receive position, whereby contact 306 is closed to prevent the transmission of signals to the outlyingstation, and then operates and holds operated, feed-out key 292. It is assumed for illustration purposes, although this assumption is unknown to the operator at the main office, that the brushes on contact banks IA :and IB are on their respective No. contacts and that the brushes of contact banks 2A and 2E are on. their respective No. 6 contacts which positions correspond to the sixty-fifth line on the stationery.

When feed-out key .202 is operated, key lever 2M is depressed and arm 2 It depresses line feed key lever 203. During the time when key lever 204 is maintained depressed, clutch throw-out member 218 is maintained out of engagement with drivenmember 221 of a grab clutch: and. transmitting cam shaft CS' continuously rotates, but no line feed signals are transmittedbecause closed contact 306 shunts transmitting cam contacts 382. In a manner similar to that hereinbefore mentioned in connection with the arrangement shown in Fig. 1, the sending machine receives line feed signals for advancing its stationery during message transmission only, when its send-receiv break key is in a sending position, but when feedoutkey 202 is operated and contacts Edda-reused, printer selector magnet 804 is maintained operated and the stationery is restrained fiom advancmg. However, when. the send-receivc-break' for operating stepping magnet 3-14 is closedwhen contact 301-- is closed for the intervalduring which the cam follower-of the contactis-in engagement with-the cam during each revolutionof the transmitting cam shaft. The circuit is traceable from grounded positive battery BIZ, condenser of condenser-resistance network 3 I 3,.through the winding of stepping magnet Iii- 5, conductor. 3-15, back contactv and outer right-hand armature. of relay 3.15, conductor 3-H, closed contactstli'l and 3.53.3,

to-ground. Magnet. 3.1.4. operates and releases,

adizancing the. switch. brushes 31.9. and, 32 0. of re .spective contactb-anks LA and vlB=one step.

'Hereinbefore it was assumed that brushes 31.9 and 32.6 were on their respective No. 5 contacts and now when these brushes advance one 'step they move to their respective No. 6 contacts. At the end of the cam indent, contact 3t! open 'to release stepping magnet '3 l 4 but inasmuch as the cam shaft continues to rotate, contact 3:0! is again closed to reop'erate magnet 3M toadvance the brushes 3!!! and 320 a second step. This operation is repeated until brushe 319 and 320 reach their respective No. 10 contacts.

When brushes '3! 9 and 320 reach their respective No. 10 contacts, brush 3l'9 closes a circuit traceable from grounded positive battery 3 l 2, conductors 32 l andtzit, brush 319 on contact No. 10, conductor 323, through the winding of relay-324, resistor 3-25, conductors '326 and 32?, to ground. Relay 32 i operates and then looks at its righthand armature in a circuit traceable from grounded positive battery 3 i2, conductors 3 2.1 and 3'22, off-normal contact 328 now cl'osedb'ecause of the operated condition of brush 3W, conductor 32 9, through the right-hand armature, front con.- tact and winding of relay 324', resistor 325, conductors 326 and 321, to ground. Relay 3'2'4uppn operating, closes at its left-hand armature and contact an operating circuit for release magnet 338, the circuit being traceable from grounded positive battery M2, conductor 32I, through the winding of release magnet 335, resistor 33!, con.- ductor 3'32, left-hand armature and "back contact of relay 315, conductor 333; left-hand'armature and front contactv of relay 32'4, conductor 32?, to ground and release magnet 33'0"o'perates tot restore'brushe's 319 and 32 t' to their respective normal positions. Simultaneously with the operation of release magnet S30, stepping magnet 33% also operates in a path traceable over. substantially the circuit j'ustitrac'ed', except that "the path extends from grounded positivebattery 312, conductors 32 l, 350 and through'the winding of stepping magnet 3'35, resistor 3'36, conductor 33?, left-hand armature and front contact of relay 324, conductor 3.21, to ground. Stepping magnet 334 upon operating, advances brushes 33-8 and .335! of their'respective contact banks 2A and 2B to their respectiveNo. 7' contacts because" of. the assumption hereinb'efore stated that the brushes were in positions corresponding to" the sixty-fifth line one long form of stationery when the send-receive-br'eak key was operated to its receive position.v Brush 3L9 upon being restored to its normal. position, permits off-normal com tact 323 to be restored. to its normally-open con-- dition' whereby the locking'circuit for. relay.324':.is opened and relay 324 nowreleases.

At this point brushes tit and 329 are in their respective normal positions on. banks IA- and. I B andhrushes 383 and 339 are at theirrespective No. 7 contacts on banks Z-Aand 2B in-preparatiorr for counting off. by brushestifl and 320 over the contacts of banks lA'and lBrespectivelythe next group of ten line feed signals. Thefeed-out key W2 is still held operated, line feed lever 293 and:

eed-out lever iiii i remain depressed while the .e-zt group of line feed signals are being countedoif y brushes 3 i tend 329 inasmuch as-transmitcam shaft C's continues to rotate. When brush 319 counts off the next ten line feed signals and engages contact No. 10 on bank. LA, re-

lay 32% again becomes locked operated to close at its right-hand armature and front contactparallel operating paths for release magnet 3311 and. stepping magnet 3.3.4. Release magnet 3.30-

upon operating, restores brushes flit-and 320 to their respective normal positions and opens the off-normal contact 328. Brushes 3!!! and 320 are now in the proper positions for the transmission of the next group of ten line feed signals. Stepping magnet 334, upon being operated, advances brushes 333 and 339 to their respective No. 8 contacts on banks 2A and 2B.

In the circuit arrangement shown in Fig. 3 contact No. 8 in each of banks IA, !B, 2A and 2B is arbitrarily selected to indicate the end of a long form sheet so that in response to the eighth line feed signal of the next group two special functions are performed. One of these functions is performed when brushes 320 and 339 engage their respective No. 8 contacts to close a path for shunting transmitting cam contacts 302 from the line circuit L whereby, if contacts 306 have been open, further transmission of signals to the line circuit is prevented. The other of these functions is performed when brushes 3l9 and 338 engage their respective No. 8 contacts whereby a circuit is closed extending from grounded positive battery 3! 2, conductors 32! and 322, brush 3!.9 in engagement with its No. 8 contact, conductor 34G, brush 338 in engagement with its No. 8 contact, conductor 34!. through the winding of relay 3H5, resistor 342, conductor 343, to ground. Relay 3H3, upon operating, (1) opens at its outermost right-hand armature and back contact the operating circuit for stepping magnet 3I4, and (2) closes at its middle right-hand armature and front contact a circuit extending from grounded positive battery 3! 2, conductor 345, lamp 344, conductors 346 and 341, middle right-hand armature and front contact of relay 3 l6, conductor 343, to ground. Lamp 344 lights to indicate that the last line space of a long form has been reached and it is time to restore the: rotary selector switches S-3 and s-4 to their normal positions. The operator upon observing lighted lamp 344, releases feed-out lever 204, thereby arresting the transmitter, and operates reset key 343 to close a circuit traceable from grounded positive battery 3l2, conductor 32! and then over two parallel paths one extending through the winding of release magnet 330, resistor 33!, conductor 332,1efthand armature and front contact and front contact and innermost right-hand armature of relay 3!5, conductor 349, and the other extending over conductor 350, through the winding of release magnet 35!, resistor 352, conductor 353, front contact and innermost right-hand armature of relay 3H5, to conductor 349 which is common to both paths, closed contacts of reset key 348, conductor 341, middle right-hand armature and front contact of relay 3H5, conductor 343, to ground. Release magnets 330 and 35! operate to restore brushes 319 and 320 of rotary selector switch -3 and brushes 338 and 339 of rotary selector switch S4, to normal. The apparatus at the main ofiice is now'in its proper condition for transmitting a message to the outlying station. Release of selector switches to normal releases relay 3! 6 and lamp 344 is extinguished. Relay 3!6 is sufficiently sluggish in releasing so that it does not release until after brushes 3!9, 320, 338 and 339 have been restored to their respective normal positions.

The apparatus at the main ofiice is now in its proper sending condition and the send-receivebreak key of the sending machine is operated to its send position whereby contact 303 is opened and contact 305 remains closed and the printer selector magnet 304 is free to operate in response to signals transmitted from the transmitting cam 12 contacts 302. At the end of each line of the transmitted message, line feed key 20! is operated to transmit by means of the code selector bars 205, 206, 201, 293 and 209 and the transmitting cam contacts 302 on cam shaft C'S', a line feed signal over line circuit L to the receiving machine at th outlying station. At the outlying station the stationery form has been placed in its proper recording position and in response to each i incoming line feed signal the paper is advanced one step. The line feed signal transmitted after each line of the transmitted message operates printer selector magnet 304 to rotate th platen of the sending machine one step. At the end of the first group of ten lines, brush 3!!! of contact bank !A is positioned in response to the ten transmitted line feed signals, on its No. 10 contact and as hereinbefore described, a circuit is closed from grounded positive battery 3i2, conductors 32! and 322, brush 3!!! on contact No. 10, conductor 323, through the winding of relay 324, resistor 325, conductors 326 and 321, to ground and relay 324 operates. Relay 324 upon operating, closes at its right-hand armature and front contact a locking circuit for itself extending from grounded positive battery 3!2, conductors 32! and 322, off-normal contact 328 now in a closed condition, conductor 320, right-hand armature, front contact and winding of relay 324, resistor 3 5, conductors 323 and 327, to ground. Also, relay 324 upon operating, closes at its left-hand armature and front contact a circuit extending from grounded positive battery 3!2, conductor 32!, and then in two parallel paths one extending through the winding of release magnet 330, resistor 33!, conductor 332,

' ground. Release magnet 330 and stepping magnet 334 operate. Release magnet 330 upon operating, restores brushes 3!9 and 326 to their normal positions, and stepping magnet 334 upon operating, moves brushes 338 and 339 of contact banks 2A and 2B to their respective No. 1 contacts.

For each line of the second group of ten, a line feed signal is also transmitted to again step brush 3l3 from one contact to another until ten line feed signals ar transmitted to the line and brush 3!9 reaches its No. 10 contact to again close the operating circuits for release magnet 330 and stepping magnet 334. Brush 3" is thereby restored and brush 338 is moved to its 0. 2 contact. This operation is repeated for each group of ten lines of the message until the last line of the message is transmitted. If desired, immediately after typing the last line of th message, feed-out key 202 is operated to close a shunt path around the marking, or upper, contact and armature of line relay 303 and printer magnet 334 remains operated to prevent the stationery in the sending machine from being advanced during the transmission of the repeat line feed signals over the line circuit. The continuous rotation of transmitting cam shaft CS which efiects the transmission of the repeat line feed signals to the line circuit, for the purpose of advancing the sheet stationery in a continuous manner through the receiving machine and then advancing the next sheet to a position for recording another message, also causes repeated closures of contact 30?, conresponding in number to the line feed signals,

whereby brushes 3 i9, 320, 3,38 and 339are-lstepped over .thecontacts oftheir respective banks until the arbitrarily selected No. 8-contacts are reached. Theengagement of the No. 8 contacts by their respective brushes results in performing two functions hereinbeforedescribed. The first function is that performed by the circuitincluding brushes 32d. and 333. ontheir respective No. 8 contacts whereby the transmitting cam contacts .302 are shunted from the line circuit L to prevent further transmission thereto. The second function is that performedwhen brushes 319 and 338 engag their respective No. 8 contacts simultaneously to close a circuit hereinbefore-traced for operating relay Slt. Relay 386, upon operating, closes the operating circuit for lighting lamp 354 to indicate that the end of the stationery has been reached and that reset key 343 should; be operated to restore brushes 31 9 and 320on banks !-A and IB and brushes 3.33 335011 banks 2A and Z-Btothei-r respective normal positions as hereinbefore described; She operator, upon observing lightedlarnp 344, operates reset key 3&8 to close a. circuit prepared by the operation ofrelay 31-6 for operating release-magnets 335 andedl, thereby brushes 3%, 326, 338 and-3390f rotary selector switches 8-3 and S-4- are restored-to normal.

The arrangement shown in 3 may be modified to accommodate forms eighteen inches in length, which is the equivalent of one hundred and eight line feed steps at the usual line spacing of six lines per inch, by shifting the connections of stepping switch banks EA and 213 from the contacts No. 8 to the-contacts No. 10, to, provide for th counting of twenty additional lines before lamp 3% is lighted and the transmitting-contacts arc shunted.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a signaling system, a signal sending device, a signal receiving device, a transmission channel associated with said devices, a recording medium in each of said devices, mechanisms and mechanically operated means therefor, adapted to advance said recording mediums through said devices, respectively, a predetermined distance for each operation of said means in one only of said devices, and other mechanically operated means in said one device for operating said recording medium advancing mechanism in the other only of said devices to advance in response to a single operation of said other means the recording medium through said other device, in the same direction, a variable distance to a pre-- determined point, and rotary stepping means electrically operable independently of said recording medium advancing mechanism for determining the variable distance through which said medium at said other device is advanced.

2. In a telegraph system, a sendingteletypewriter, a receiving teletypewriter, a transmission channel interconnecting said teletypewriters, a recording paper in each of said teletypewriters, paper advancing mechanisms and mechanically operated means therefor, adapted to advance the paper through said teletypewriters, respectively, a predetermined distance for each operation of said means in one only of said teletypewriters, and other mechanicaliy operated means in said one teletypewriter for operating said paper advancing mechanism in the other only of teletypewriters to advance in response to a single operation of said other. means the paper through said other teletypewriter, in the samedirection,

a-variabledistance to aspredeterminedlinespace .of'saicl'paper.forrecording-purpcses,.andLarotary steppingmeans electrically operable independ; ently of. said recording. medium. advancin mocha an-ism. for determining. the variable distance through which said medium at. saidother device is advanced.

3-. In a telegraph system a. sending telety-pewriter, a receiving teletypewriter, a, transmission channel interconnecting said teletypewriters; a recording paper inpeach of saidteletypewriters; paper advancing mechanisms and-mechanically operated means therefor, adapted to advance the paper through said teletypewr-iters, respectively; a predetermined distance for each operation of said means in one only ofsaid teletypewr-iters, stepping means responsive to the operation of said mechanically. operated means for operating one step each time the'p-aper in said teletypewriters is advanceda predetermineddistance; other mechanically operated means in said; one .teletypewriter for operating said paper advancing mechanism in, the other of, said 'teletypee writers to advanceinresponse to-a singlesopera- .tiorr-ofsaid other means the paper through: said other teletypewriter only, inthe-same direction, avariable distance toa predeterminedline space on the paper for recording purposes; and; con-r tinuously operated means-controlled by the single operation of said-other means for operating said stepping means through adesired number of; successive steps in a, continuous mannerto determine-the distance through which the paper must be advanced through said other teletypee writer only to bring a predetermined line space on the paper to a desired position; for; recording purposes,

4. In a telegraph. system, a sending teletypes writer, a receivingteletypewriter; atr-ansmission channel interconnecting said teletypewriters; a recording paper in each of said teletypewriters; paper advancing; mechanisms and mechanicallyoperated means therefor, adapted toadvance the, paper throughsaid teletypewriters, respectively; a predetermined distance for each operation of said means in: oneonly of said teletypewriters; stepping means responsive to the operation oi: said mechanically operated means for operating one stepeach time the paper. in. said teletypewriters isadvancedone step a predetermined dis-- tance, other mechanically operated means insaid one teletypewriter for operating saidpaper ade vancing mechanism'in-t-he other-of said; teletypee writers toadvariee-in: response: to a single operation of said other means the-paper-through'said other teletypewriter only, in the same direction, at a variable distance-to a predetermined line space on, the paper, automatically operated means controlled by said other mechanically ope erated meansfor operating said stepping means. throughadesired number-of successive-steps in a continuous, manner to determine the distance through which the paper, in said other teletype writer must be: advanced tov bring the predeter-. mined. line spacaon the, paperto a desired position for recording purposes, and, restraining means responsive to the single operation of. said other-means for preventing the advancement oi the paper, through one teletypeivriter.

5. In atelegraph system, a sending teljetypei-v writer, receiving teletypewriter, a transmission: channel interco.- looting, said teletypewriters, arecording nape .n: each or said teletypewriters, paper. advancing mechanisms and mechanically operated means therefor, adapted to advance the paper-through said tcletypewriters;respectively;

a predetermined distance for each operation of l said means in one only of said teletypewriters, stepper switch means responsive to the operation. of said mechanically operated means in said one teletypewriter for operating one step each time the paper in said teletypewriter is advanced one step a predetermined distance, other mechanically operated means in said one teletype writer for operating said paper advancing mechanism in the other of said teletypewriters in response to a single operation of said other means to advance the paper through said other teletypewriter only, in the same direction, a variable distance to a predetermined line space on the paper, automatically operative means responsive to the operation of said other mechanically operated means for operating said stepper switch means to control and determine the distance through which the paper in said other teletypewriter is advanced, indicating means for furnishing a signal when said stepper switch means is automatically operated through the variable distance to a point corresponding to the predetermined line space on the paper, and manually operable means for restoring said stepper switch means to normal when the signal is operated by said indicating means.

6. In a telegraph system, a sending teletypewriter, a receiving teletypewriter, a transmission channel interconnecting said teletypewriters, a recording paper in each of said teletypewriters, paper advancing mechanisms and mechanically operated means therefor, adapted to advance the paper through said teletypewriters, respectively, a predetermined distance for each operation of said means in one only of said teletypewriters, stepping means responsive to the operation of said mechanically operated means for operating one step each time the paper in said teletypewriters is advanced one step a predetermined distance, other mechanically operated means in said one teletypewriter for operating said paper advancing mechanism in the other of said teletypewriters in response to a single operation of said other means to advance the paper through said other teletypewriter only, in the same direction, a variable distance to a predetermined line space on the paper, automatically operated means responsive to the operation of said other mechanically operated means for operating said stepping means through a desired number of successive steps in a continuous manner to determine the distance through which the paper in said other teletypewriter must be advanced to bring the predetermined line space on the paper to a desired position for recording purposes, switching means in said teletypewriters for changing said teletypewriters from a receiving condition to a sending condition or vice versa, and restraining means in said automatically operated means and said other mechanically operated means for preventing the operation of said paper advancing means in said teletypewriters when said sending teletypewriter is changed to its receiving condition by said switching means.

7. In a telegraph system, a sending teletypewriter, a receiving teletypewriter, a transmission channel interconnecting said teletypewriter-s, a recording paper in each of said teletypewriter-s, paper advancing mechanisms and mechanically operated means therefor, adapted to advance the paper through said teletypewriters, respectively, a predetermined distance for each operation of said means in one only of said teletypewriters, stepping means responsive to the operation of said mechanically operated meansin said one 16 teletypewriter for operating one step each time the paper in said teletypewriters is advanced one step a predetermined distance, other mechanically operated means in said one teletypewriter for operating said paper advancing mechanisms in the other of said teletypewriters in response to a single operation of said other means to ad- Vance the paper through said other teletypewriter only, in the same direction, a variable distance to a predetermined line space on the paper, automatically operated means responsive to the operation of said other mechanically operated means for operating said stepping means through a distance corresponding to the variable distance through which the paper in said other teletypewriter is advanced, indicating means for furnishing a signal when said stepping means is automatically advanced through the variable distance to the predetermined line space on the paper, switching means in said teletypewriters for changing said teletypewriters from a receiving condition to a sending condition or vice versa, restraining means in said automatically operated means and said other mechanically operated means for preventing the operation of said paper advancing means in said teletypewriters when said ending teletypewriter is changed to its receiving condition by said switching means, and other means responsive when said automatically operated means are operated to operate said stepping means in said one teletypewriter from any position to which said stepping means were last operated to a position whereat said indicating means furnishes ,a signal without operating the paper advancing mechanism in either of said teletypewriters. v

8. In a printing telegraph system, a transmitter, counting means for registering cumulatively the occurrences of transmission of a particular signal by said transmitter, transmitter controlling means operable by said counting means upon counting a predetermined number of said signals for totally suppressing signal transmission by said transmitter, means for initiating automatic repetitive transmission of said particular signal, local and remote teletypewriter printers receptively associated with said transmitter, and means effective during repetitive transmission of said particular signal for suppressing reccptive operation of the local printer.

9. In a printing telegraph system, a line circuit, a transmitter for transmitting signals over said line circuit, recording means local to said transmitter for making a local copy of the message signals transmitted over said line circuit, counting means for registering cumulatively the occurrence of transmission of a particular signal from said transmitter, means for initiating automatic transmission of said particular signal a plurality of times successively, means operable during a time when the particular signal is being transmitted from said transmitter to the line circuit a plurality of times successively, for preventing the operation of said local recording means, and other means operable immediately following the transmission of the particular signal a plurality of times successively, for totally suppressing signal transmission from said transmitter to said line circuit and for conditioning said counting means for restoration to normal.

19. In a printing telegraph system, a line circult, a transmitter for transmitting signals over said line circuit, counting means for registering cumulatively the occurrence of transmission of a particular signal from said transmitter, means for initiating the automatic repetitive transmission of said particular signal, local and remote teletypewriter printers receptively associated with said transmitter, means operable during the time when the automatic repetitive transmission of said particular signal is taking place for preventing the reception of said particular signal at said local teletypewriter printer, and other means operable immediately following the automatic repetitive transmission of said particular signal for totally suppressing signal transmission from said transmitter to said line circuit and for conditioning said counting means for restoration to normal.

11. In a signalling system, a signal sending device, a signal receiving device, a transmission channel associated with said devices, a recording medium with each or" said devices, mechanisms and mechanically operated means therefor, adapted to advance said recording mediums through said devices, respectively, a predetermined distance for each operation of said means in one only of said devices, and other mechanically operated means of said one device for operating said recording medium advancing mechanism of the other only of said devices to advance in response to a single operation of said other means the recording medium through said other device, in the same direction, a variable distance to a predetermined point, and means electrically operable independently of said recordingmedium for determining the variable distance through which said medium in said other device is advanced.

12. In a telegraph system at least two teletypewriter printers, a transmission channel interconnecting said printers, a transmitter associated with at least one of said teletypewriter printers, and an attachment for said transmitter comprising means for cumulatively registering the occurrences of transmission of a predetermined signal, means for causing repetitious transmis sion of said predetermined signal, and means controlled by said registering means for disabling said transmitter upon registering a predeter- 18 mined number of transmissions of said predetermined signal.

13. In a telegraph system at least two teletypewriter printers, a transmission channel interconnecting said printers, a transmitter associated with at least one of said teletypewriter printers, and an attachment for said transmitter comprising means for cumulatively registering the occurrences of transmission of a predetermined signal, means for causing repetitious transmission of said predetermined signal, means for preeluding response of the teletypewriter printer having said transmitter and attachment associated therewith to said repetitious transmissions of said predetermined signal, and means controlled by said registering means for disabling said transmitter upon registering a predetermined number of transmissions of said predetermined signal.

14. In a signaling system, a signal sending device, at least two signal receiving devices connected to be controllable by said sending device, a recording medium in each of said receiving devices, signal responsive feed mechanism in each of said receiving devices adapted to advance the respective recording medium a predetermined distance for each operation of the feed mechanism, means for causing said sending device to transmit repetitiously in varying number the signal to which said feed mechanisms are coded to respond, and means controlled by said lastmentioned means for precluding response of one of said receiving devices to said repetitiously transmitted signal.

WILMARTH Y. LANG.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,687,045 Suren Oct. 9, 1928 2,189,102 De Wolfe Feb. 6, 1940 2,273,067 Reiber Feb. 17, 1942 2,536,528 Baldwin Jan. 2, 1951 2,554,903 Goetz May 29, 1951 2,571,182 Baldwin Oct. 16, 1951 

